"What?!"
Charija's eyes widened when he saw the spikes erupt across the Kun's body. His mind registered what was happening, but his hands had already committed to the attack.
The so-called Fiercest Monster in the Universe slammed head-on into the Kun.
Shhk, shhk!
Dozens of spikes pierced its flesh, and the health bar above its head began draining at alarming speed.
"Back, back, back—get away from it!"
Charija frantically wrestled with his controller, forcing his monster to retreat from Yu Zhou's Kun.
On the other side, Yu Zhou chuckled. He could just imagine the confusion clouding Charija's mind right now.
The Kun's Thorned Rebound was a passive effect—when its HP dropped below a certain point, barbed thorns automatically grew across its body. Anyone who struck it at close range would not only take direct damage, but even risk a bleeding status effect.
So on Charija's screen, his almighty monster was now bleeding out, HP draining in steady chunks.
"What kind of ridiculous beast is this?!"
Charija's brows locked tight. His creation, the "Fiercest Monster in the Universe," had carried him to victory after victory, devouring countless opponents. Yet now its health bar was melting away. Was it really going to die here, at the hands of some strange oversized fish?
Sweat beaded across his palms as the bar thinned to the final sliver.
And then—finally—it stopped.
"Haaah…"
Charija exhaled sharply in relief. His monster had survived—barely, by a single pixel of health. Which meant he could still turn this around—
Turn it around, his foot! How could one scrap of HP possibly stage a comeback? The Kun just had to move once and it would be over!
"But… it hasn't moved at all yet."
Charija took off his black top hat and let out another breath.
If his opponent wasn't acting, then maybe… maybe there was still a chance.
Close-range was out of the question. With those spikes, melee meant suicide. So Charija switched strategy—long-range only.
On the screen, his Fiercest Monster in the Universe began charging energy. Purple light gathered above its head.
Yu Zhou, however, had no intention of finishing things. This Kun was absurdly overpowered. Crushing opponents endlessly had already lost its charm.
Better, perhaps, to let Charija win this round—to see what kind of monster it would become after evolution.
The purple blast struck the Kun, landing cleanly. No rebound damage this time.
Charija's shoulders eased slightly. Finally, something normal. Which meant there was hope for a reversal.
"Go, my Fiercest Monster in the Universe!" Charija shouted, full of chuuni flair, and charged another finisher.
And to his credit, the monster really was formidable. The last ultimate had shredded a quarter of the Kun's HP in one go. One more, and it might actually fall.
Boom!
Another violet strike slammed into the Kun.
The health bar instantly emptied.
The massive green body collapsed with a thunderous crash.
"Haahhh…"
Charija slumped back, relief washing over him. The bizarre, impossible opponent was finally down.
On the screen, his monster lumbered forward, lifted the Kun's fallen form, and swallowed it whole.
"Rooaar!"
Moments later, the Kun was gone, consumed. The Fiercest Monster's body swelled massively, its health bar thickened, and—most shocking of all—its hide flushed a verdant green. Spikes erupted across its body.
"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"
Charija beamed with excitement. His creation had grown even stronger—an evolution beyond what he imagined.
Meanwhile, Yu Zhou simply powered off his computer. He wasn't interested in playing further.
"Next time," he murmured, "I'll see how powerful Ultraman Tiga really is."
…
The Antarctic glaciers, melted by Reicubas's rampage, had not simply refrozen after the monster's destruction.
Freezing and melting followed different rhythms—recovery took time.
Sea levels remained higher than before. Several nameless islands had even vanished beneath the waves.
Ocean currents shifted, unsettling the seas.
And in the abyss near R'lyeh, a radiant chain forged of light suddenly shattered. From the depths below, a surge of black energy seeped upward, spreading like ink through the waters.
In his sleep, Daigo jolted awake.
Cold sweat drenched his forehead. His back and bedsheets were already soaked through.
"This feeling…"
Daigo pressed a trembling hand to his brow, his heart pounding uneasily.
"Daigo? What's wrong?"
Beside him, Rena stirred, woken by his sudden movement. Feeling the wet sheets, she sat up, concern etched across her face.
"I… I have a bad premonition." Daigo's frown deepened, voice heavy.
"A premonition?"
Rena's chest tightened.
As the inheritor of Tiga's light, Daigo's instincts were rarely wrong. Each time he felt this kind of dread, disaster soon followed.
The last time had been when Camearra and Gatanozoa emerged.
"I saw it again… endless darkness."
Daigo's voice was low, remembering the vision that had torn through his dream.
"Darkness?!"
Rena's breath caught.
If darkness itself had appeared in his dreams… could it mean another world-ending overlord was about to awaken?
At the same time, Masaki, another bearer of light, also felt the looming crisis.
So in the middle of the night, Yu Zhou's phone began to ring.
"Who the hell calls at this hour?" Yu Zhou groaned, rubbing his bleary eyes as he groped for his phone.
"Huh? Masaki?" His confusion grew at the caller ID. "What's he calling me for at this time? Don't tell me he actually built the Plasma Spark?"
At that thought, Yu Zhou perked up.
If Masaki had truly succeeded in constructing such a thing, then he'd practically become the Father of Ultra for Earth itself!
"Hello? Masaki? Why the late-night call? Don't tell me you've finished the Plasma Spark?"
"Eh?" On the other end, Masaki was startled. "Yu Zhou—you didn't have that dream?"
"What dream?" Yu Zhou blinked, baffled.
"That doesn't make sense… You're Tiga's chosen vessel. How could you not have seen it?" Masaki muttered.
"Seen what? Speak straight, man!" Yu Zhou snapped, irritated by Masaki's roundabout words.
(End of Chapter)